Kansas State University Athletics
Darren Sproles Biography
Apr 24, 2005 | General
Darren Sproles
Running Back
5-7, 180, 4L
Olathe, Kan. (Olathe North)
Career Capsule: Appeared in 45 games during his four-year Kansas State career... Ended his career with 39 consecutive starts dating to the 2002 season opener vs. Western Kentucky... One of the most prolific runners and all-purpose performers in college football history... Rushed for a Kansas State career-record 4,979 yards, a figure that ranks 11th all-time on the NCAA career rushing chart and third all-time in the Big 12 Conference... Also totaled a Big 12-record 6,812 all-purpose yards, which ranks sixth on the NCAA's career list... In all, set 23 records while at Kansas State, including virtually every career, single-season and single-game mark for both rushing and all-purpose yards... Also holds K-State records for both career touchdowns (48) and career rushing touchdowns (45)... Totaled an incredible 24 career 100-yard rushing games, with five 200-yard rushing performances, and averaged 110.6 yards per game during his career... Served two seasons as a player representative and his senior campaign as one of five team captains... Named offensive MVP for the North team in the 2005 Senior Bowl... Selected in the fourth round (130th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.
2004 (Senior): Started all 11 games and totaled Kansas State 11-game records for both rushing yards (1,318) and all-purpose yards (2,067)... Finished the regular season ranked No. 11 nationally in rushing yards per game (119.82) and third in all-purpose yards per game (187.91)... Also 29th in kickoff return average (23.43)... Had five 100-yard rushing games, including a pair of 200-yard performances and two 100-yard quarters... Topped 200 yards in all-purpose offense four times, including a K-State record 351 yards vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (9/18/04)... Earned first team All-Big 12 honors as an all-purpose back from The Associated Press... Was a consensus second team All-Big 12 performer by the AP, coaches, Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and San Antonio Express News... Kansas State's offensive MVP for the third straight year... Finished the season with 11 touchdowns to rank second on K-State's career points chart with 292... Hauled in 32 catches to rank No. 2 on the team in receptions... Opened the season with 221 yards on 42 carries and one TD against Western Kentucky for the third highest opening day total in NCAA this season... Came back with 178 all-purpose yards against Fresno State... Had three kickoff returns for 126 yards (a career-high) including a career-long 79 yarder vs. the Bulldogs... Re-set the K-State single-game rushing record with 292 yards on 38 attempts against Louisiana-Lafayette, including a 35-yard touchdown run... Finished the Texas A&M game with 61 yards on the ground and six catches for 48 receiving yards... Recorded 160 yards of all-purpose yards against Kansas, including 73 yards on 24 carries... Recorded 57 all-purpose yards against Oklahoma... Went over 100 yards rushing for the third time on the season with 135 yards on 22 carries against Nebraska... Tallied 193 all-purpose yards against the Cornhuskers... Rushed for 83 yards on 18 carries, including a 40 yard touchdown scamper against Texas Tech... Set a career-high in receptions with 10 for 79 yards to lead the team in receptions against the Red Raiders... Rushed for 160 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns against Missouri... Registered second-longest touchdown run of his career with a 74-yard sprint in the third quarter... Also caught two passes for 29 yards against the Tigers... Capped season with a 21-carry, 167-yard rushing effort against Iowa State that included a 41-yard touchdown run... Added two receptions for 13 yards and 80 yards in kickoff returns for 260 all-purpose yards vs. the Cyclones.
2003 (Junior): Finished fifth in voting for the Heisman Trophy with 134 votes (15 first-place, 30 second and 29 third) ... Finished third in The Associated Press Player of the Year voting... Runner-up for the Doak Walker Award... Named the Big 12 Player of the Year by College Football News... Tapped first team All-American by The Associated Press, Sports Illustrated and Rivals.com... Kansas State's offensive MVP... Became the first running back and just the 10th Wildcat player overall to earn first team All-American accolades from The Associated Press... A second team All-American by The Sporting News... A consensus first team All-Big 12 selection by the league's coaches, Associated Press, Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express-News, ESPN.com and College Football News... Started all 15 games and led the nation in total rushing yards with a K-State single-season record 1,986 on 306 carries (6.5 ypc).... Ranked third on the NCAA's rushing-yards-per-game chart at 132.4... Also led the nation in all-purpose yardage with a K-State record 2,735 and was second in all-purpose yards per game at 182.3... Was the first player in the nation to go over 2,000 all-purpose yards during 2003... His 6.5 yards-per-carry average tied for fifth nationally (third among RBs), but was tops among players with 215 or more carries... His 1,986 yards ranks fourth all-time in Big 12 history... Set the school mark for rushing yards for the second consecutive season (1,465 yards; 2002)... Also 38th nationally in scoring (7.6 points per game)... Totaled 849 yards on 109 carries over the last three games of the regular season and the Big 12 Championship game for an incredible 7.8 yards per carry and 212.2 yards per game... Became just the seventh player in Big 12 history and the first Wildcat to accumulate 3,000 career rushing yards with his 140-yard effort against Nebraska (11/15)... Ran wild in the Big 12 Championship game vs. Oklahoma (12/6), torching the Sooners for 235 yards on 22 attempts (10.7 ypc)... It was his third 200-plus yard rushing performance in the last four non-bowl games (no other back in K-State history had rushed for over 200 yards more than once in a career previously)... It also marked the 19th time (continuing his school record) in the last 27 games that he has rushed for at least 100 yards, including nine games during 2003... Registered an additional 88 yards receiving on three catches, including a career-long 60-yard touchdown reception, against OU... Earned Big 12 offensive player of the week honors and set the school single-game rushing mark with 273 yards on 43 attempts vs. Missouri (11/22)... The total was the third-best in the NCAA during 2003 and the 10th-most in Big 12 history... Totaled 293 all-purpose yards against Missouri and eclipsed Aaron Lockett's all-time mark (4,023; 1998-2001)... Ended the season with 4,745 all-purpose yards for his career, producing 100 or more all-purpose yards in 25 of the last 28 games... Two rushing scores vs. Missouri and one TD on the ground at Nebraska gave him 33 for his career and moving him past Josh Scobey (2000-01) for second in school history and sixth in Big 12 history in rushing scores... Enters 2004 ranked second in school career touchdowns with 37... Became just the second non-kicker and the first RB to score 200 career points with his touchdown run against the Huskers... Also surpassed Tate Wright (196; 1990-93) and Ralph Graham (196; 1931-33) and enters 2004 fourth on the all-time scoring list with 224 points... Rushed for 201-yard at Iowa State (11/8)... His 201 yards on 19 carries came in just under three quarters of play, surpassing his previous-high of 175 against California (8/23)... Became the first Wildcat to rush for 200 yards since Ell Roberson ran for 228 against Nebraska (11/16/02) and the first RB since Josh Scobey tallied 204 yards against Kansas (10/27/01)... Tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns against ISU, matching his effort against Colorado (10/5/02), Nebraska (11/16/02) and Massachusetts (9/13)... Tied his second-longest score of his career and his longest this season with a 70-yard jaunt to start the third quarter against Iowa State (matching a 70-yarder against Nebraska (11/16/02)... It was also his second-longest rush of the season (behind the 73-yarder against Baylor) and the fourth time he had a carry for more than 50 yards during 2003... Recorded the second-best all-purpose effort in school history (10th-best in Big 12 history) against Baylor (11/1), tallying 308 yards on four different touches of the ball (rush, catch, punt and kick returns)... Became the first Wildcat to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and the eighth overall with 155 yards against the Bears... Reached 1,000 yards rushing in only 183 carries, the second fewest carries to reach the plateau in school history (he did it in 159 during 2002)... Recorded the milestone on a 73-yard burst in the fourth quarter, the second-longest run of his career... Eclipsed Eric Hickson (2,537; 1994-95, 1997-98) as the school's all-time rusher with a 12-yard run in the second quarter against Kansas (10/25)... Recorded 172 all-purpose yards, including 98 rushing, against KU... Returned a punt 63 yards for his first career touchdown on a return against the Jayhawks to earn Big 12 special teams player of the week honors... Scored three different ways for the Wildcats during 2003 (run, catch and punt return)... Tallied 214 all-purpose yards against Oklahoma State (10/11), including then career-highs for both receptions (5) and receiving yards (82) to go with his first touchdown pass (23 yards)... Tallied 128 yards rushing against Texas (10/4)... Had 127 all-purpose yards against Marshall (9/20), catching five passes for 50 yards to go with 77 yards rushing... Rushed for 152 yards on 28 carries against Massachusetts (9/13)... Gained 101 yards on 14 carries - all in the first half - against McNeese State (9/6)... In doing so, he became the sixth Wildcat to rush for 2,000 yards in a career... Broke the school mark for consecutive 100-yard rushing contests with a then career-high 175 yards against California (8/23)... Teamed with Ell Roberson to become just the ninth tandem to rush for 100 yards in the same game against Cal... It marked the third time that the duo accomplished this feat during the 2002 and 2003 seasons... Preseason first team All-American by both Athlon and The Sporting News in preview editions... TSN also ranked Sproles second nationally among RBs in their issue... Named the No. 2 prospect nationally for the Heisman Trophy and a preseason All-American by nationalchamps.net web site... Voted a team representative in the spring by his teammates and K-State's 2003 Offensive MVP following the season.
2002 (Sophomore): Second Team All-Big 12 selection by The Associated Press, Austin American Statesman, Dallas Morning News, Kansas City Star and coaches... Honorable mention All-Big 12 selection at the all-purpose spot by AP... Shared K-State Offensive MVP Award with Ell Roberson... Started all 13 games as the Wildcats' running back... Broke eight individual school records during the course of the season, including rushing yards (1,465), rushing yards by a sophomore, 100-yard rushing games (10), consecutive 100-yard rushing games (nine), all-purpose yards (1,800), points by a sophomore (104) and rushing average per carry (6.18)... Helped Kansas State break five single-season rushing marks, including most rushing yards (3,433), rushing touchdowns (53), touchdowns (79), rushing average per carry (5.24) and rush average per game (264.1)... Also assisted in tying the team single-game mark for rushing touchdowns (seven) at Kansas (11/2)... Ranked 29th nationally in all-purpose yards with an average of 138.5 yards per game... Paced the squad in rushing with a then school-record 1,465 yards on 237 carries, an average of 112.7 yards per game... His per-game average ranked 19th in the nation, while his 6.2 yards per carry ranked fourth among players with at least 200 attempts... His per-carry average also ranked as the highest by a back with at least 100 carries in school history... The average was nearly a full yard higher than the previous school record of 5.34 set by Eric Hickson in 1998... Ranked T34th nationally in scoring with a team-leading 104 points... Was the fifth Wildcat ever to score 100 points in a season... Tied with Jonathan Beasley for the second-most rushing touchdowns (17) in a season in school history... In league games, he averaged 124.9 yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry, gaining 999 yards... Ranked second on the team to Terence Newman in both kickoff and punt returns... Totaled 154 yards on 15 punt returns, an average of 10.3 yards per return... Registered 82 yards on four kickoff returns, an average of 20.5 yards per return... K-State's fifth-leading receiver with 99 yards on nine catches, an average of 11.0 yards per reception and 8.2 yards per game... Picked up 80 yards on a touchdown run with 7:32 left in the third quarter against Colorado (10/5), which represents his longest run from scrimmage as a Wildcat... Since 1969, when records were kept on the longest plays from scrimmage, his 80-yard run ranks fifth in school history... Became the sixth Wildcat ever to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season with his 103-yard performance against Iowa State (11/9)... Became the fastest ever to reach 1,000 yards, hitting the mark on his 159th carry of the year... Became the 21st Wildcat in school history and the second-fastest to 1,000 career yards, when he reached the milestone in his 14th game... Only Cornelius Davis, who needed just 10 games to hit the mark in 1966, reached 1,000 career yards faster... K-State coaches' co-Offensive Player of the Game for performances against Colorado and Oklahoma State (10/12) and Offensive Player of the game for efforts vs. Western Kentucky (8/31) and Texas (10/19).
2001 (Freshman): One of two true freshmen on 2001 depth chart (PK Joe Rheem)... Saw action in six games at running back... Part of a running game that broke a nearly 50-year-old school record for rushing yards per game with a 257.7 average... The team's per game rushing average was 30 yards better than the school-record average of 227.4 set in 1953... The offense ranked fourth nationally in both in rushing offense and rushing touchdowns (34)... K-State's fifth-leading rusher with 210 yards, averaging 7.5 yards per carry on the year... His 210 yards rushing placed him second on the school's single-season rushing chart by a freshman... His 7.5 yards per carry ranked first on the team... Averaged 35.0 yards per game on the ground... Registered 49 yards on four carries in the home opener against New Mexico State (9/22), including a 36-yard scamper... Capped his impressive opening performance with a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against the Aggies... Totaled a season-high 11 carries for 51 yards against Iowa State (11/3)... Rushed for a season-high 66 yards against Louisiana Tech (11/17), including a season-best 38-yard... It marked the second time in three weeks that he improved his personal-best in rushing.
Olathe North HS: High school All-American as selected by Student Sports Magazine... Winner of Thomas A. Simone Trophy, given to the top big-class football player in Kansas City metro area... Kansas Player of Year as named by USA Today... Kansas Hall of Fame Player of the Year... Member of all-class Kansas top-11 team... Kansas City Star Player of the Year in 1999 and 2000... Two-year All-State, All-Metro, All-Sunflower League selection... All-region pick by PrepStar magazine... Started for two seasons and lettered for three... Rushed for 2,485 yards in 2000, scoring 49 touchdowns... Led the 12-0 Eagles to their fourth Kansas 6A state title in five years... Rushed for 2,031 yards in nine games as a junior... Finished career with 5,230 yards and 79 touchdowns, averaging nearly 8.4 yards per carry... Holds nearly every rushing record at Olathe North.
Personal: Born June 20, 1983, in Waterloo, Iowa... Parents are Larry and the late Annette Sproles... Major is communication science.
Bowl Performances: Saw action off the bench vs. Syracuse in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl... Did not carry the ball, but caught one pass for five yards... Led both teams with 118 yards on 21 carries in K-State's 34-27 win over Arizona State in the 2002 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl... Scored the Wildcats' first points on a 41-yard run midway through the second quarter... Also had a kickoff return for 21 yards... Rushed for 38 yards on 13 carries vs. Ohio State in the 2004 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, with a six-yard touchdown run... Credited with three receptions for five yards... Averaged 16 yards on two kickoff returns and had four punt returns for 10 yards.
Darren Sproles Career Statistics
RUSHING G Att Yds TD Lg Avg/C Avg/G
2001 6 28 210 1 38 7.5 35.0
2002 13 237 1465 17 80 6.2 112.7
2003 15 306 1986 16 73 6.5 132.4
2004 11 244 1318 11 74 5.4 119.8
TOTAL 45 815 4979 45 80 6.1 110.6
Career-highs - Rushes: 43 vs. Missouri (11/22/03); Yards: 292 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (9/18/04); TDs: 3, four times. last at Iowa State (11/8/03); Long rush: 80 at Colorado (10/5/02).
REC. G Rec Yds TD Lg Rec/G Avg/C Avg/G
2001 6 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2002 13 9 99 0 25 0.7 11.0 7.6
2003 15 25 287 2 60 1.7 11.5 19.1
2004 11 32 223 0 28 2.9 7.0 20.3
TOTAL 45 66 609 2 60 1.5 9.2 13.5
Career-highs - Catches: 10, vs. Texas Tech (10/30/04); Yards: 88 vs. Oklahoma (12/6/03); TD: 1, two times. last vs. Oklahoma (12/6/03); Long catch: 60 vs. Oklahoma (12/6/03).
PUNT RET. G No Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G
2001 6 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2002 13 15 154 0 30 10.3 11.8
2003 15 19 190 1 63 10.0 12.7
2004 11 6 34 0 25 5.7 3.1
TOTAL 45 40 378 1 63 9.4 8.4
Career-highs - Returns: 4 at Colorado (10/5/02); Yards: 63 vs. Kansas (10/25/03); TD: 1 vs. Kansas (10/25/03); Long return: 63 vs. Kansas (10/25/03).
KICK RET. G No Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G
2001 6 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2002 13 4 82 0 26 20.5 6.3
2003 15 10 272 0 58 27.2 18.1
2004 11 21 492 0 79 23.4 44.7
TOTAL 45 35 846 0 79 24.2 18.8
Career-highs - Returns: 4, twice, last vs. Texas Tech (10/30/04); Yards: 126, twice, last vs. Fresno State (9/11/04); TD: none; Long return: 79 vs. Fresno State (9/11/04).
ALL-PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G
2001 6 210 0 0 0 0 210 35.0
2002 13 1465 99 154 82 0 1800 138.5
2003 15 1986 287 190 272 0 2735 182.3
2004 11 1318 223 34 492 0 2067 187.9
TOTAL 45 4979 609 378 846 0 6812 151.4
Career-highs - Yards: 351 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (9/18/04).
SCORING G TD Rush Pass Retn PAT 2PAT FG Total Avg/G
2001 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 1.0
2002 13 17 17 0 0 0 1 0 104 8.0
2003 15 19 16 2 1 0 0 0 114 7.6
2004 11 11 11 0 0 0 1 0 68 6.2
TOTAL 45 48 45 2 1 0 2 0 292 6.5
Darren Sproles Career Game-By-Game Rushing Stats
2001 Season Att Net TD Lg Avg
at Southern California 0 0 0 0 0.0
New Mexico State 4 49 1 36 12.3
at Oklahoma 0 0 0 0 0.0
Colorado 0 0 0 0 0.0
at Texas Tech 0 0 0 0 0.0
Texas A & M 4 13 0 6 3.3
Kansas 3 7 0 3 2.3
at Iowa State 10 51 0 20 5.1
at Nebraska 2 24 0 20 12.0
Louisiana Tech 5 66 0 38 13.2
Missouri 0 0 0 0 0.0
vs. Syracuse 0 0 0 0 0.0
Totals 28 210 1 38 7.5
2002 Season Att Net TD Lg Avg
Western Kentucky 19 135 1 43 7.1
Louisiana-Monroe 9 51 0 14 5.7
Eastern Illinois 9 84 1 54 9.3
Southern California 20 78 1 19 3.9
at Colorado 16 121 3 80 7.6
Oklahoma State 18 130 1 38 7.2
Texas 20 136 0 61 6.8
at Baylor 25 124 1 22 5.0
at Kansas 15 110 2 26 7.3
Iowa State 18 103 2 18 5.7
Nebraska 21 155 3 70 7.4
at Missouri 25 116 1 15 4.6
vs. Arizona State 21 118 1 41 5.6
Totals 237 1465 17 80 6.2
2003 Season Att Net TD Lg Avg
California 22 175 1 53 8.0
Troy State 12 49 1 15 4.1
McNeese State 14 101 1 34 7.2
Massachusetts 28 152 3 42 5.4
Marshall 14 77 1 16 5.5
at Texas 24 128 0 24 5.3
at Oklahoma State 18 74 0 24 4.1
Colorado 14 90 1 25 6.4
Kansas 19 98 1 16 5.2
Baylor 19 155 0 73 8.2
at Iowa State 19 201 3 70 10.6
at Nebraska 25 140 1 41 5.6
Missouri 43 273 2 22 6.3
vs. Oklahoma 22 235 0 63 10.7
vs. Ohio State 13 38 1 9 2.9
Totals 306 1986 16 73 6.5
2004 Season Att Net TD Lg Avg
Western Kentucky 42 221 1 32 5.3
Fresno State 11 37 0 20 3.4
Louisiana-Lafayette 38 292 1 35 7.7
at Texas A&M 20 61 0 10 3.1
at Kansas 24 73 0 12 3.0
Oklahoma 13 34 1 12 2.6
Nebraska 22 135 2 34 6.1
Texas Tech 18 83 2 40 4.6
at Missouri 20 160 2 74 8.0
at Colorado 15 55 1 18 3.7
Iowa State 21 167 1 41 8.0
Totals 244 1318 11 74 5.4
2001-2004 Seasons Att Net TD Lg Avg
Career Totals 815 4979 45 80 6.1